The British Museum opened its exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry on Thursday, marking the first time the 220-foot-long 11th-century embroidery has returned from France to the country where it was likely made. Curator Michael Lewis described the fervor as "Bayeux mania." Over 80,000 people waited online when tickets first went on sale, and news channels covered its arrival as though it were a returning war hero. King Charles III viewed it early, and critics praised it as "shivers-down-the-spine" and a "universal depiction of the madness of war." The tapestry, stitched by English women in the 1170s, depicts William the Conqueror's 1066 invasion.

Visitors moved quietly through the darkened hall, snapping photos until someone laughed at nude figures in the borders. Historian Mary Beard noted this is the second time Britain has been gripped by "Bayeux fever," recalling 1966's 900th anniversary celebrations.